Upon Awakening
by Silent Steel
Summary: I'm not sure where in the continuity this old work of mine is . . meet Zel's family, discover strange magical artifacts, and find out /why/ going through a null zone is bad for Mazoku!
1. Chapter 1 - Shadowlands

Welcome to this particular endeavor of insanity on my behalf. It's a bit old, and rather silly at times, but what the 'eck.  
  
I do not own Slayers, nor do I wish to. I just have fun writing about the characters at times. :D  
  
  
Upon Awakening:  
#~#~#  
Part 1  
Shadowlands  
#~#~#  
  
He had betrayed them ...   
  
his duties ...   
  
his world ... his   
  
family ...   
  
his daughter ...   
  
his grandchildren ...   
  
It would be better if he no longer existed ... even in the lands of the dead.   
  
What kept him here?   
  
Why does he remain? Drifting ...   
  
Formless   
  
Nearly without mind ....   
  
What emotion keeps tugging at him, pulling at him to stay in these shadowlands,   
  
not fully dead   
  
not fully alive ...   
  
Regret ... regret keeps him here .... Guilt ... it too   
  
keeps him here ... knowing he'd made his grandson's life a living hell...   
  
eternally lonely   
  
unable to tell the woman he loves how he feels   
  
watching that idiot swordsman court her ... in his lame-brained way   
  
and being completely without rights to do anything ...   
  
Poor grandson ...   
  
poor young man   
  
poor girl who would never know of the man who loved her   
  
  
  
He should do something about that .... 


	2. Home and Abroad

Welcome to this particular endeavor of insanity on my behalf. It's a bit old, and rather silly at times, but what the 'eck.  
  
I do not own Slayers, nor do I wish to. I just have fun writing about the characters at times. :D  
  
  
Upon Awakening:  
#~#~#  
Part 1  
Shadowlands  
#~#~#  
  
Titavi sighed, hearing her twin brother swearing up a blue streak underneath the contraption he was working on. "Elkin, how does the list of inheiritance go ... red hair, calm demeanor ... sharp chin, blue eyes ... strange sense of humor ...?"   
  
" ... A temper from hell and the magic to back it up. All the wonderful things we got from grandpa. All the joys of the Akoushi bloodline. It's a pity it has so many genetic errors in it as well." Elkin finished, still underneath the machinery. A series of klonks were followed by more swearing. He slid out from underneath, smeared with black grease and clutching a wrench in each hand, his tail holding onto the lantern he had been using.   
  
Elkin rubbed his face, which only smeared the grease on his hand onto his face. "I wonder where Shortstuff is ... Been a while since we've seen our second brother, eh Sis?"   
  
"Zel hates it when you call him Shortstuff. Yes, it has been a while ... quite a long time. Nearly six, no, seven years now ...." Titavi picked up the teakettle with her tail, being careful to not touch the hot body of the kettle. "More tea, bro?"   
  
"Sure ... " Elkin looked morosely at the floor. "I wonder what he's up to ..."   
  
  
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"LI-naaahh!!!!" Zel, Xellos, Firia, and Amelia winced, rubbing their ears. Valtiera gave a baby snore from where he was curled up in his basket next to Firia. A red/black/blue/magenta blur went tumbling by, on a collision course with the river.   
  
"I wonder what Mr. Gourry did this time ... " Amelia murmured, watching the splash fight now going on in the river. Firia gave the breakfast stew another stir, watching it bubble. She and Xellos actually weren't fighting, for once. Since the trouble last night, the two had an uneasy truce, and were unfailingly polite to each other.   
  
"Someone should tell them that breakfast is ready." Zel said softly, watching the fight below.   
  
"And have them eat it all in three seconds? Don't think so." Xellos began ladleing out bowls of stew, making sure that everyone got some. His fairness was unusual . . but perhaps the mace Firia was holding over his head was helping to show him that behaving was in his best interests.  
  
  
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Usagi, the door slamming behind her, raced into Elkin's workshop. Elkin and Titavi looked up from their teacups. Before they could speak Usagi held up her hand to stall questions, trying to catch her breath.   
  
"Phew! That's a climb after a run . . . Mom's calling Zel home! She just told me! The beacon spell is going out right now!"   
  
The trio shared a wide grin, wondering just what their brother would think of the changes that had happened since he was last here.   
  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The family ... would be   
  
together   
  
he would be   
  
able to undo   
  
the evil   
  
he had done ... 


	3. Message Received

Welcome to this particular endeavor of insanity on my behalf. It's a bit old, and rather silly at times, but what the 'eck.  
  
I do not own Slayers, nor do I wish to. I just have fun writing about the characters at times. :D  
  
  
  
#~#~#  
  
Upon Awakening  
  
#~#~#  
  
Zel slowly stood, his eyes tracking the northern horizon. "There ..." His voice was softer than normal, and yet everyone could hear him clearly. An orb of clear white light appeared on the horizon, exactly where Zel had been looking.   
  
Lina blinked in surprise. She knew her eyesight was above normal in it's clarity and distance, but she hadn't know Zel's was that much better than hers. She stood, her clothes still dripping river water, and walked to stand next to him.   
  
"M-mr. Zelgadis, what is it?" Amelia seemed a little nervous, and jigged around like a flea on a hot frying pan.   
  
"Amelia, stop bouncing around like that!" Lina snarled, glowering over her shoulder before turning back to look at Zel, who was still watching the rapidly approaching orb. "So Zel, what is it?"   
  
"A message." Zel raised his hands, and the orb settled gently into them. It seemed to unfold, and a transparent image of a woman with red hair and blue eyes appeared above it. Lina looked from the image to Zel and back again. "Definitely can see the resemblence there."   
  
"Shhhh, Lina." Xellos's voice came softly near her ear, and she whipped about to find him standing less than a foot behind her ... with a rather murderous-looking Firia steadily approaching him behind. "Xellos, don't include me in your suicide plans." Lina ducked away from Xellos and moved to stand on the other side of Zel with Amelia and Gourry. Amelia had the baby Valtiera cuddled in her arms now.   
  
- You're looking well, son. - The image spoke, her voice soft, and unsurprisingly like Zel's.  
  
"Hello, Mother."   
  
- It's been six years. -  
  
"I've been rather busy."   
  
- Rezo died over three years ago, Zel. - She seemed annoyed.   
  
"But what he did remained."   
  
- I see ... well, it is high time you returned home. - Some baby babble could be heard in the background of wherever she was. "So I see ... How many new siblings do I have?"   
  
- Teirys, she's now six, and Logan is two. And I'm pregnant again. - She had a happy, if a tad smug, smile on her face. Zel's own smile was fond, as he looked at his mother's happiness. "You're not going to stop having kids until you're old and grey, Mother."   
  
- And that's a looong way off. I've grown in power again, and I think I might even rival my father now. -  
  
"That could be quite serious."   
  
- I know ... I geased myself from black magic four years ago, soon after you disappeared, my son. I don't want to follow his bad example. - She abruptly changed the subject. - I've included a map in this message-spell, and it should show you the most direct route to Almhelm ... but first, could you make a side trip to Sairaag, there's a girl there who's been invited to stay here for a while. Here's her picture. -  
  
The image briefly change to ... "Sylpheel?"   
  
- You know her? -  
  
"She and I have met."   
  
- Hmm, well, you can bring your friends with you, and Elkin will meet you on the border of the Null Zone. See you soon, son. -  
  
"See you soon, Mother."   
  
  
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Sylpheel?   
  
Who   
  
was Sylpheel?   
  
And why   
  
did she make   
  
the swordsman blush? 


	4. The Peril Of Horns

Welcome to this particular endeavor of insanity on my behalf. It's a bit old, and rather silly at times, but what the 'eck.  
  
I do not own Slayers, nor do I wish to. I just have fun writing about the characters at times. :D  
  
  
  
#~#~#  
  
Upon Awakening  
  
#~#~#  
  
"Hey Zel, who's Elkin?" Lina paused in brushing tangles out of her hair, as they prepared to walk the final distance to Sairaag.   
  
"My oldest brother." Zel checked the spell-map again before completing his sentence. "And possibly the strangest of my siblings."   
  
"Why's that, Mr. Zelgadis?" Amelia tickled Valtiera lightly, making him giggle and squirm.   
  
"You remember that golemn of Martina's?"   
  
"Yeah ..."   
  
"He could make one." And before they could say anything, he jumped off the edge of the cliff and skidded his way down to the cliff's bottom.   
  
  
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"Well, she is your cat." Titavi commented as she watched Elkin try to catch Karmie. The insane little puffball growled at Elkin, dragging the turkey she had stolen from the kitchen even further under his bed with her. "Karmie, come on, I don't want underside of my bed covered in blood again. And that turkey was supposed to be for Kitten!"   
  
"She stole Kitten's dinner again?"   
  
"Yup ... and it's the last turkey until the meat market in town deliver the next shipment." Without a word, Titavi joined Elkin beside the bed, trying to pull the turkey out. Elkin leaned forward and stuck his head under the bed. A sudden swipe at his nose by Karmie made him jump. "Ummm ... Titavi?"   
  
She frowned at her twin, having heard the sharp klonk of his head meeting the wooden underside of the bed. "Your horns stuck again?"   
  
"Yeah."   
  
"Hold still and pull down." A few whacks upward on the bed wood from her fist while he was pulling down quickly freed him.   
  
  
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"Gourry Dear!" Sylpheel rushed out her door and straight at Gourry, wrapping her arms around him. Firia blinked in suprise, and Xeros scratched his head.   
  
"Hello Sylpheel." Lina chirped, a rather smug smile on her face as she peered at Sylpheel around Gourry's elbow, and Amelia rushed over to Sylpheel a big hug. "Hi Miss Sylpheel!"   
  
"Hello Lina, Amelia ... um, who are they?" Sylpheel pointed to Xeros, Firia and the baby Valtiera.   
  
"That's Xeros and Firia."   
  
"And that little boy is their son?" 


	5. Old nicknames

Welcome to this particular endeavor of insanity on my behalf. It's a bit old, and rather silly at times, but what the 'eck.  
  
I do not own Slayers, nor do I wish to. I just have fun writing about the characters at times. :D  
  
  
  
#~#~#  
  
Upon Awakening  
  
#~#~#  
  
Zel checked the map again, being careful to match up the landmarks with the layout on the map. It had been a few days since they had left Sairaag, and Xeros had still not shown up. Sylpheel's innocent question had resulted in some rather unusual circumstances. Firia had turned around, slapped Xeros upside the head and then fainted, nearly dropping little Val on the ground. It had taken several hours to waken her.   
  
Xeros had turned bright red with fury and embarressment, and disappeared. Hours later, they had found him perched on top of the town's church steeply swearing loud enough that they could hear him for several blocks in any direction. Nothing they could say lured him away from his perch, so they left him to follow whenever he wanted.   
  
"OH HO HO HO HO HO!" Zel gritted his teeth, hearing that annoying laugh again. Nahga had bumped into them on their way out of Sairaag.   
  
"And what are you doing, cousin?"   
  
"Checking to make sure we're on the right track, hooters." The old nickname came easily from his lips, having called her hooters for over fifteen years.   
  
"Don't call me that reprehensible name. I am the Great Nahga!"   
  
"Your birth name is Gracia, hooters."   
  
"My name is Nahga! FREEZE ARROW!"   
  
Zel easily dodged the clumsy magical attack. Amelia looked up from where she was playing with little Valtiera.   
  
"Big sister Gracia?"   
  
"Yes little sister Amelia?"   
  
"Why did you change your name?"   
  
"It seemed appropriate."   
  
"Mr. Zelgadis, are you sure we're cousins?"   
  
"Yes!" Zel's voice was harsh and abrupt as he stalked off to the other side of the camp and down the side of the hill.   
  
  
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He   
  
was concerned   
  
why was his   
  
grandson   
  
so mad   
  
so annoyed   
  
too many people   
  
too many   
  
emotions   
  
bombarding   
  
from   
  
all sides   
  
to   
  
be sure why   
  
Those ones   
  
Naga and Amelia   
  
were descendents   
  
of his?   
  
...   
  
Naga ...   
  
...   
  
...   
  
Eeeww.   
  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Elkin gave his wings a few more flaps to maintain speed, then glided along on a particularly steady current of warm air. How wonderfully freeing it was to assume this form, so savage a creature their father had been ... A pity that none of their other siblings could ever feel this firsthand. Only Titavi and himself had this ability, a gift from their father.   
  
He had never begrudged the fact that his mother had remarried less than a year after his father's death. His father had been old, and the last of his line. The death had been peaceful, and long expected.   
  
Now, where was it that he was supposed to meet up with Zel? What was that? His eyes narrowed as he scanned the ground below him. White, puffy things ... Sheep! 


	6. Nagah's Laugh Irritates Dragons

Welcome to this particular endeavor of insanity on my behalf. It's a bit old, and rather silly at times, but what the 'eck.  
  
I do not own Slayers, nor do I wish to. I just have fun writing about the characters at times. :D  
  
  
  
#~#~#  
  
Upon Awakening  
  
#~#~#  
  
"Ahhh ... here he comes." Zel hopped down off the rock he was perched on and then slid down the cliff to the group waiting below. Xeros had finally showed up, and was currently perched in a tree, after having been apologised to by Sylpheel. Firia was giving Valtiera his afternoon bottle, and Sylpheel was cooing over Val. Gourry had fallen asleep under a tree, Amelia was fishing in the nearby lake, and Lina was watching Zel.   
  
"Hey Zel."   
  
"Yes Lina?"   
  
"Is that guy who's supposed to meet us, Elkin, on his way?"   
  
"He should be here within a few seconds."   
  
Something large and mostly cobalt blue went whooshing over their heads.   
  
"Or now."   
  
"OH HO HO HO HO HO" Nahga began laughing again, and not for any reason Lina could see. She looked around as whatever it was circled a few times above them. Xeros was staring up at it in complete shock, his mouth hanging open. Firia was in the same condition as Xeros, and little Val was cooing and kicking his feet happily. Amelia had hit the dirt, hiding a bit behind Gourry, who was looking around blearily. Sylpheel had a death grip on Gourry's left arm and had plastered herself to his side. Nahga began laughing again. The blue whatever-it-was swooped down, picked up Nahga, glided over the lake, and dropped her in the dead center of it.   
  
Xeros blinked, still looking stunned. And then Firia fainted again, leaving him to catch her and little Val before they hit the ground. Val cooed, reaching out to try to grab the blue whatever as it glided back to the clearing, doing a neat backwing to land. "I thought Valtiera was the last of the Ancient dragons." Xeros murmured, giving the newcomer a less shocked and more considering look.   
  
"Actually, my family line isn't considered true Ancient, as several generations back, about a third of my ancestors wed into a royal elven line." The dragon's voice was a pleasant tenor, holding a faint whispery feel to it and a slight husky note.   
  
A small part of Lina's mind noted that the dragon's way of speaking was much like Zel's. The rest of her mind was gawping at the first true ancient dragon she had ever seen. He was much larger than Firia's dragon form, and much longer proportion-wise of body, tail and limbs. The scales that covered most of his body were a deep, brilliant, jewel-like cobalt blue. A crest of red-brown hair began on his head right above his eyes (occaisionally falling into them) and ended about midway down his back. The feathers of his large wings were a blue so dark it was nearly black, and they shimmered with tones of pale reds, purples, and blues. A tuft of feathers also sprouted from the tip of his tail.   
  
"The Lanserric?" Xeros asked, easing Firia to the ground and picking up Val, who was still trying to reach the dragon.   
  
"Elkin Lanserric, pleased ta meetcha." His head lowered so that he was less than a foot from the still-wriggling Val. "Cute kid."   
  
Val promptly leaned forward and grabbed onto Elkin's nose. "Led go ub my nod."   
  
Zel stepped forward to help pry Val's little fingers off Elkin's nose. "Lonb bime o cee, bwo."   
  
"Quite a long time, Elkin."   
  
Elkin leaned back with a relieved sigh, rubbing his nose. "Kid's got quite a grip. Who were his parents?"   
  
"Don't know, he was rejuvenated to baby status not that long ago."   
  
Elkin blinked, his form beginning to shrink. "That has got to be some story, bro."   
  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Hmmm .....   
  
He had   
  
forgotten that some of his   
  
family   
  
had dragon   
  
lineage   
  
Perhaps   
  
it was time   
  
for the twins .... 


	7. Rundown On The Null Zone

Welcome to this particular endeavor of insanity on my behalf. It's a bit old, and rather silly at times, but what the 'eck.  
  
I do not own Slayers, nor do I wish to. I just have fun writing about the characters at times. :D  
  
  
  
#~#~#  
  
Upon Awakening  
  
#~#~#  
  
Lina pouted slightly, watching Elkin and Zel talk on the other side of the clearing. The two had made it quite clear that they wished to talk ... alone. Lina glanced around, watching her companions. Amelia was watching Elkin with rapt fascination, and was beginning to show signs of a crush on the young man. Sylpheel was trying to wake Firia, who was still out cold.   
  
She had been fainting a lot, hadn't she? Lina wondered why, as she continued to look around. Gourry was playing with a bug and a small stick, while Xeros was playing gently with little Val. Now that was a sight that took some getting used to. Xeros playing silly little games with a baby, and the baby's enjoying it. Both Xeros and Firia had been acting a little oddly of late, not like their regular selves ... or at least the ones she saw the most often.   
  
"Well, this is definitely more people than I was expecting ... and more than a little worrisome." Elkin's voice cut smoothly over Lina's thoughts. His human form was a little ... unusual. He still had his tail, albeit a smaller version to fit the smaller body which still had the same sort of long proportions as the dragon form. Taller than his brother, and appearing to be at least six foot eight inches in height. Both Zel's and Elkin's eyes were the same shade of blue, and almost identical shape. What really showed up as unusual were the pair of horns curving up from just above his temples.   
  
"Why worrisome?" Lina couldn't hide her curiosity, as she gently removed Val's grip from her hair.   
  
"The Null Zone has expanded,"   
  
"Lina, within the Null Zone, magic just plain doesn't work." Zel's voice was filled with a quiet horror. "For you, Gourry, Sylpheel, and Amelia, it simply means that you're regular humans. For those whose existence depends on magic ... It is ... very painful."   
  
"Well, I could use a bit of pain." Xeros grinned sadistically, ignoring Firia's gasp.   
  
Elkin gently took Val, who promptly grabbed some of his hair and began sucking on it. "The one I'm truely worried about is this little fellow. He may not be mentally capable of dealing with the pain of a lengthy passage ... "   
  
Elkin and Zel exchanged a glance. "Usagi." 


	8. Talking With Usagi

Welcome to this particular endeavor of insanity on my behalf. It's a bit old, and rather silly at times, but what the 'eck.  
  
I do not own Slayers, nor do I wish to. I just have fun writing about the characters at times. :D  
  
  
  
#~#~#  
  
Upon Awakening  
  
#~#~#  
  
"Who, or what, is Usagi?" Lina watched as Elkin sketched a design into the ground with a stick.   
  
"Usagi is our younger sister, my half-sister, Zel's full sister."   
  
Zel tapped Elkin on the shoulder, gesturing for him to stand aside. "Ok, this should work."   
  
"You think so? It's a bit crude."   
  
"It'll work." Zel raised his hands over the diagram, and began a soft chant, the liquid syllables he spoke sliding from the mind almost as quickly as they were heard. The diagram on the ground began to fill with a soft light, the lines and symbols showing clearly. Zel's voice took on a more imperial tone, commanding in soft tones. The light began to flow upwards, filling the space between his hands, forming a round globe of incandescent light. The globe whirled around, slowly seperating into two in a liquid, flowing motion. One of the two rose above Zel's head, paused briefly, then shot away to the north, soaring easily over the trees.   
  
Lina opened her mouth to ask, and Elkin cut her off. "It's a communication globe, like the one we sent to him."   
  
"There we go ... " Zel murmurred softly at the globe of light in his hands seemed to unfold into the image of a young girl with green eyes, black hair, and a strong resemblence to Zel. "Hello Usagi. You've grown quite a bit."   
  
"It's been six years. I'm sixteen now."   
  
"I can see that."   
  
Elkin stood on the other side of where the diagram still glowed in the ground.   
  
"Elkin, don't do that! It translates really weird through the message-globe."   
  
"Can you hear me?   
  
"Hear you just fine, but you look like some big blue sausage standing behind Zel."   
  
"Well as long as you can hear me, that's fine."   
  
"My brother the blue sausage. What a world."   
  
"Can it. Listen are you still friends with the Manjambos' daughter?"   
  
"Yeah .... why?"   
  
"Ok, I have a large batch of people to take through the null zone - "   
  
"And you want me to borrow their van to ferry them through? No way bro! I'm still in trouble for the last time I borrowed one of their vehicles."   
  
Zel blinked a few times, no real expression showing on his face. "Which one was that?"   
  
"The camper. Managed to wrap it around a tree."   
  
Elkin butted back in. "Actually, I wasn't thinking of the van, or any of the larger vehicles. Just the ATV."   
  
"That only seats two people."   
  
"Or one person and a baby seat."   
  
"You want me to ferry a baby across the Null Zone? Shoulden't the baby stay with his mother?"   
  
"He's an Ancient Dragon, currently in human form. His foster mother, Firia, is a Golden Dragon."   
  
"I think I see ... Ok, I'll go ask if I can do this. Not promising anything though. Expect me within an hour. If I can't borrow it, I'll see what else I can do and call back with the details." 


	9. Dragon Sizes

Welcome to this particular endeavor of insanity on my behalf. It's a bit old, and rather silly at times, but what the 'eck.  
  
I do not own Slayers, nor do I wish to. I just have fun writing about the characters at times. :D  
  
  
  
#~#~#  
  
Upon Awakening  
  
#~#~#  
  
They had been waiting by a large, smooth road for over twenty minutes when - something - roared up to a screeching halt beside them. It seemed to be some sort of moving cart made of metal and something Lina had no name for, that didn't need horses, gryphons, or any other type of beast to pull it.   
  
A person dressed in a weird white outfit hopped off the metal cart, pulling an equally odd helmet off their head. She had shockingly red hair, and green eyes. Said person grinned, and promptly gave Zel a hug. "Hey bro."   
  
"Hello Usagi."   
  
"So where's the problem?" Elkin pointed silently at little Val, who was currently getting his diaper changed by his foster mother. Usagi promptly zoomed over to look at him. "Awww, how cute!"   
  
She waited only long enough for Firia to finish changing his diaper before picking him up. "You're a cute one, aren't you?" She began cooing at the little one, cuddling him close.   
  
"She's still nutzoid for babies." Zel's voice was quite calm. Elkin's was just as calm. "Probably always will be."   
  
"Is everyone in this family some degree of insane?"   
  
"Think about who the founding father is."   
  
"True."   
  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
ungrateful brats   
  
but also quite   
  
honest.   
  
Now, how to   
  
repay them   
  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Don't worry, Firia, I'll take good care of him." Usagi put on her helmet as Firia finished fussing over Val, who was securely strapped into his baby seat. "The trip via the moped is only an hour, in contrast to the hour and a half you guys will most likely take in the least. Seeya on the other side!"   
  
With a roar and a rumble, off they went, with Val's cheerful giggles drifting along behind them.   
  
"Ok gang, let's figure out how we're going to do this." Elkin's voice came from way, way up. Firia spun around, and found that Elkin had slipped back into his dragon form. "Switch forms, little one."   
  
"L-little ONE!?!" Firia shrieked, whipping out her mace.   
  
"Calm down. When you do a size comparison, it would take three golds to make a dragon my size." Elkin calmly walked around the edge the clearing, looking everyone over. "Switch forms. If we're going to make this trip short, both you and I need to carry everyone." 


	10. Get Your Rear In Gear, Goldie!

Welcome to this particular endeavor of insanity on my behalf. It's a bit old, and rather silly at times, but what the 'eck.  
  
I do not own Slayers, nor do I wish to. I just have fun writing about the characters at times. :D  
  
  
  
#~#~#  
  
Upon Awakening  
  
#~#~#  
  
"I am not a beast of burden!!" Firia screeched, swinging her mace around and clonking Gourry a good one.   
  
"Of course not. But this is simply the best way to do this. Otherwise, we'll all go through about a week's worth of pain." Elkin's voice was soothing, but firm.   
  
"But why not make multiple trips?" Amelia asked, curious.   
  
"I am not about to go through that much pain for anyone." Elkin's voice had become flat, faintly hostile.   
  
A short shriek heralded Firia's change to dragon form, that and all her clothes ripping off her human form just a second before the transition. Xeros, who happened to be watching her, nearly fell over, his eyes open wide. He shook himself, quickly recovering his grace. However, this had been the first time he had seen her transform from up close, and seeing her 'in all her glory' had been a bit of a shock.   
  
"All right, how are we doing this?" Firia's voice was monotone, resigned.   
  
"Thank you. I can easily carry three, but four is pushing it a little, especially with this group."   
  
"I can carry two light or one heavy."   
  
"So I get Zel - "   
  
"I'm going with him." Lina butted in, standing beside Zel. "And don't try to change my mind."   
  
"Very well Lina. I can carry both Lina and Amelia as well as Zel, and then one more ... Gourry."   
  
"WHAT?! There is NO WAY I am carrying that Namagomi Mazoku!" Firia glowered at Elkin, Xeros, anyone who caught her eye.   
  
"He weighs less than Gourry."   
  
"HE'S A MAZOKU!!"   
  
"No need to scream. I would prefer to get this done and over with before hooters finds her way out of the lake." Elkin began lifting people onto his back, Zel first, then Lina, then Amelia.   
  
"OH HO HO HO HO HO!"   
  
"Oh no ... Get your rear in gear, goldie!" Elkin snatched Gourry, plunked him in place, then took off, leaving Firia with a sulking Mazoku.   
  
"W-wait for me!!" Firia shrieked, well and truely frightened by the abrasive laughter, grabbing Xeros with her foreclaws and taking off in rapid pursuit of Elk in's rapidly dwindling form.   
  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Usagi fretted, re-adjusting Val's straps for the third time. She could visibly see him growing, albeit slowly. "Why is this happening?"   
  
She got no reply as Val continued his pained screaming, tears streaking down his cheeks. More than a little frightened for him, she quickly got the moped back on the road, shifting it into a higher gear than normal in order to get him out of the null zone quicker. 


End file.
